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Class _^B^2J__ 

Book____^ZM_ - 
Gojpght N° 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



•V 






Garden Vegetables, 



M. B. FAXON, 

BOSTON, MASS. 




ESSAY, 

DELIVERED BEFORE THE 

Massachusetts Horticultural Society 

JANUARY 28, 1888. 



GARDEN VEGETABLES. 



Copyright, 1888, by M. B. Faxon. 
All rights reserved. 



GARDEN VEGETABLES. 

By M. B. Faxon, Boston. 

It seems as if enough had already been said and written urging 
every one to have a vegetable garden ; but observation will show 
that not one family in ten does have a garden that is entitled 
to be called such in every sense of the word. I wish it distinctly 
understood at the outset that 1 shall speak of garden vegetables 
as adapted by their superior culinary qualities for the family 
table, putting aside, for a moment, the question of the yield, pro- 
vided the vegetables mentioned are good average croppers ; or. 
in other words, I shall speak of garden vegetables as entirely 
distinct and separate from those vegetables which are grown to 
sell. I make this emphatic distinction between vegetables grown 
for the table and those raised to sell, for the reason that where 
there is no kitchen garden, and it is the custom to take vegetables 
for the table (it is not always that this is done, and when it is not 
the family go without) from farm or market garden crops, as a 
rule the table is very poorl3- supplied ; for the moment a crop 
is scarce and brings a good price in the market it is immediatelj' 
shut off from the raiser's table. But have a separate garden for 
your table, and do not allow any vegetables whatever to be sold 
from it, and you will find that you can enjoy green peas the 
17th of June, and celery and cauliflowers at Thanksgiving. 

A garden containing one acre, and even less space, will amply 
supply ten persons with all the luxuries of the .season ; therefore 
let us take one acre as a basis for the garden we will now con- 
sider. Each family can easily plan the size of the garden suited 
to its needs, by taking this estimate for ten persons as a basis, 
and planting more or less as they may require. 

In order to cultivate vegetables in a satisfactory way, proper 
attention must be given to the preparation of the soil. Having 
selected the location, the first step is to see that the ground is 
properly drained, so that all surplus and stagnant water which 
may accumulate can pass away freely. After this is effected the 
ground should be trenched or ploughed as deep as the nature of 



the soil will adtnit and thoroughly enriched with plentj' of good barn- 
yard manure. Vegetables can be raised with more or less success 
on soils of various degrees of richness, but taking the average 
piece of ground, if from five to teu cords of good barnyard 
manure is spread broadcast and harrowed in, in the fall, and 
in the spring from five hundred to a thousand pounds of some 
good chemical fertilizer is dropped in the rows at the time of 
planting, there is no reason why a good vegetable garden cannot 
be had. 

A very important point iu forming a good garden is to so 
arrange the planting of the different vegetables, both by a judi- 
cious selection of sorts, and also bj' planting the varieties selected 
at the proper times, as to secure a succession of the different 
kinds for the table throughout the season, and not a dozen varie- 
ties all together when it is impossible to use more than three 
or four ; or on the other hand having a time come when there 
is no vegetable whatever fit for the table. Let us now suppose 
that we have prepared a garden of one acre for planting, and that 
it is the first of April. 

Suppose the piece to be oblong in shape, say 100 feet wide by 
436 feet long, which, divided into rows, will give 109 rows, each 
row (that is, the surface upon which the seeds or plants will 
be placed) one foot wide and 100 feet long, with three feet 
between each row, which is ample space for horse cultivation. 

I will now mention the varieties of vegetables suitable for the 
kitchen garden, with short hints for their culture, and at the same 
time state the number of rows of each vegetable, which should 
be planted to supply a family of ten persons for one year in an 
average season. Please remember that our rows are each 100 
feet long. 

The Beet. The soil best suited to the beet is a deep, light 
and rich sandy loam. Early beets should be sown from the 10th 
to the 20th of April, or as soon as the ground is in good working 
condition. As soon as the plants are well up they should be 
thinned to from four to six inches apart. July 1, or perhaps a little 
earlier, is the proper time to plant for the winter crop ; the plants 
maj' be left a little closer together, say from two to three inches 
apart, as, the weather being warmer, they will grow as well at this 
season as the early ones sown iu April do thinned to six inches 
apart. Cover the seed one inch deep. The Early Bastian and 



Dewing's Early Turnip are the standards for both early and late 
crops. The Earh- Dark Red Egyptian and the New Eclipse beets 
are both good varieties for the first early supply, but for winter 
use no beet has ever yet been produced equal to the Dewing. 

Beet-tops make most excellent greens, being ver3' tender, and 
when cooked are preferred bj- many to dandelions or spinach. 
, The Swiss chard, or Silver beet, is grown entirely for the tops, 
and it is a very desirable variety to grow for this purpose, for, as 
soon as the tops are gathered, they immediatel}' spring up again, 
and keep growing the entire season without regard to the number 
of times they are cut down, and on this account it is only neces- 
sary to plant a small quantity of this species to supply a large 
family. Let us have half a row of beets for greens and the rest 
of this row for our first early supply of the roots ; say either 
Eclipse or Egyptian, and for winter use plant one row of 
Dewings. 

The Carrot. A good, light and well-enriched sandy loam, 
which is very finelj* pulverized, will grow carrots to perfection. 
For early crops, cover one-half of an inch deep and thin to six 
inches apart in the row ; for late, cover three-quarters of an inch 
deep and thin to four inches. The earliest is the French Forcing ; 
this is a little round carrot of delicious flavor, and very early. 
Tiie Early Scarlet Horn is the next in order — a very fine-grained 
and agreeably flavored vegetable. A good strain of Dauvers 
Half LoDg is best for general use. Unless an extra quantity 
is needed, half a row will be found sufficient for flavoring the 
winter soups and stews. 

The P.\rsnip. Parsnips must be sown as soon as possible 
in the spring. They should be planted in rows, and when well 
up thinned out to sis inches apart. Cultivate in the usual manner 
during the summer, and when fully grown gather and store the 
same as a.n\ root for winter use. 

Parsnips are improved b3^ frost, and it is a usual custom to take 
up in the fall a certain quantity for winter use, leaving the rest 
in the ground until spring, to be dug as required. 

The Long Smooth White is the favorite for general use. The 
roots are long and smooth, and it is verj' productive and a most 
excellent keeper. Two rows will give us a good yield, for which 
purpose one-quarter of a pound of seed is wanted. 

The Potato. No garden can be said to be complete without 



6 

its patcli of potatoes. As regards the cultivation of the potato I 
will say ver3- little, as it is a subject by itself; but potatoes are 
usually planted in drills by dropping the pieces of the cut tubers 
about ten or twelve inches apart. 

Cultivation should commence as soon the youug plants are 
fairly above the surface of the ground, and continued until the 
appearance of the blossoms, when no further attention will be 
required until harvesting time. At each successive hoeing gather 
the earth about the plants, adding a little each time for support, 
and also to develop the side shoots. When the bugs arrive use 
Paris green ; one or two ai)plications will destroj' them. I con- 
sider the following varieties the best for general cultivation, and 
in the order named : Beauty of Hebron, Early Rose, Clark's 
No. 1 and Pearl of Savoy. The Snowflake potato is without doubt 
one of the mealiest and best, as far as its edible qualities go, but 
it is such a shj- yielder that I cannot recommend it highly, 
although I have grown it eonsiderablj- myself. Potatoes have 
grown ver^- poorly the past season, and the yield has been very 
small, as they have rotted badly in all parts of New England, and 
the result is that thej' are very high in price. The potato which 
yielded the best with me (and I may saj' that it was entirely free 
from rot) was Bliss's Triumph, and it is a most excellent eating 
potato ; but as this is the first year I have grown it I do not know 
much about it ; yet knowing it to be a variety that has been 
in themarket a long time and is well liked, I think we cannot do 
better than to grow some of them. I certainlj' shall do so, for, if I 
can iind a potato that will be free from rot, that is the potato for 
me to raise. A family of ten persons will consume 50 bushels 
of potatoes in a year, and, as a good average yield is 150 bushels 
per acre, it is necessary that one-third of our garden be devoted 
to this crop. 

The Radish. The radish will thrive in any good soil, but to 
be crisp and tender needs to be grown quickly. Sow in drills 
as soon as the ground is in good working order, and thin out the 
plants to three inches apart. If a continuous supply is wanted 
throughout the season, make sowings every ten days to two 
weeks. The French Breakfast and Early Long Scarlet are both 
excellent sorts. Half a row, planted at intervals, will be found 
sufficient. 

The Turnip. Tlie turnip is propagated from seed and should 



be planted where the plants are to remain, as thej' do not do well 
when transplanted. For earlj' crops sow as soon as the ground 
can be made ready in the spring, and thin out to from four to eight 
inches apart according to the size of the variety. The principal 
difficulty in planting turnips is that of getting them so thick that 
it makes a groat deal of trouble in thinning. The Swede turnip 
is plautetl later — about June 1 — while the Purple Top varieties may 
be planted either early or late, and as late as August 15, a good 
crop may be secured. The Sweet German turnip is a very 
desirable sort for winter, as is also Carter's Imperial Swede; the 
former is white, and the latter yellow. These turnips should be 
planted from the 10th to the 20th of June for the best results. 
The .Sweet German turnip is commonly known as the Cape 
turnip, and is raised extensively on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. 
Do not fail to have a plentiful supply of this most excellent 
vegetable for winter use. At least three rows of turnips of the 
different varieties should be planted. From tiie 1st to the 15th of 
August a great mau^- of our earl^y vegetables have been gathered 
and the ground is clear ; if we plant in these places the Purple 
Top turnip we shall be able to secure a good crop for fall and 
winter use without any great amount of labor. 

Onions from Seed. To raise onions from seed it is necessary 
that the seed should be planted as soou as the ground is in fit 
condition to work in the spring. Plant in rows, and when well 
up thin to four inches apart. The onions must be thoroughly 
cultivated during the growing season, and be kept entirely free 
from weeds. 

There are white, redj and yellow onions ; but the yellow ones 
are the favorites in this section. For New England, the Yellow 
Globe Danvers onion is the standard. If onions are not strictly 
fashionable eating, they are at least good, so I think we shall do 
well to plant three or four rows of them. 

Onions from Sets. Sets are small onions which produce large 
onions for salads or for the table much earlier than they could 
be grown from seed. They should be set out about the middle 
of April, and covered three inches deep. When the tops have 
died, about the middle of July, the onions should be gathered and 
spread thinly in a cool, dry place. Sets are especially desirable 
for small gardens, and for those who wish a few early onions for 
salads. There are white, yellow, and red onion sets, but the 



white oues are by far the best, being of excellent qualit}- and 
niilcl flavor. As we want only a few of these early onions before 
those grown from seed are ready, suppose we set out half a row 
of sets, and, as these small onions can be set near together, let us 
make the row a foot wide and set the bulbs four inches apart, 
therebj' having a row of three sets wide. For this purpose two 
quarts of sets are needed. 

AsPAUAGUS. Asparagus is a hardy perennial plant. It may 
be grown from seed or propagated b^' roots. If grown from seed 
it will take four years before a good crop can be gathered, after 
which time a full supply ma\' be expected every season. But the 
most satisfactory waj' to establisli an asparagus bed is b}' plant- 
ing two-year-old roots. These may be purchased at very reason- 
able rates. These roots should be planted in rows from three 
to four feet apart, the roots being set one foot apart in the rows, 
and for depth set the roots so that the crowns shall be from four 
to six inches below the surface of the ground. 

These roots should be set out in the spring. They can be set 
in the fall, but the spring is the preferable time. It will take 
two years to obtain a good asparagus bed, if two-year-old roots 
are used, for the first season after the roots arc set out it is not 
desirable to cut any asparagus from the bed, as the plants need 
to be given time to become thoroughly established ; but in four 
years from the seed, or in two years from the setting of two-year- 
old roots, a good asparagus bed can be established. As regards 
the varieties of asparagus, Conover's Colossal and Moore's Hybrid 
are both good, but the secret of growing "giant" asparagus lies 
in the manure iieap. As we all like asparagus, let us have three 
rows of it in our garden, which will taka about 400 plants. 

The Cucumber. Cucumbers in the open ground should be 
plante^l about .Tune 1, in hills six feet apart and thinned to four 
plants in a hill. Cucumbers are easy to grow if they are given 
plenty of water. A sprinkling of dry plaster will keep off the 
striped bug. 

The Improved White Spine and Long Green Prickly are the best 
for the table, while the Boston Pickling is the leading kind for 
pickles. A dozen hills will supplj' the needful amount of the 
table sorts, but as regards the pickles each famiiN- must plant 
according to its needs. 



The Muskmelon. There is something about every vegetable 
tliat makes one think when it comes that it is more desirable than 
any of its predecessors, and I always feel so when I commence 
to gather that most delicious fruit, the cantelope melon. The 
cantelope melon is one of the muskmelon famih', and is too well 
known to need an}- long description. I will simply say that it 
should not be planted until the ground is warm, as it is almost 
as tender as the squash. Plant in hills, and thin out to three or 
four plants in each hill. When the plants liave made four leaves, 
the ends of the main shoot should be pinched off, which will cause 
the lateral branches to put forth sooner than otherwise. This 
will strengthen the growth of the vines, and the fruit will come 
earlier to maturity. The Arlington, Montreal, and Haekensack, 
are, I think, three as good cantelope melons as grow. Half a 
row, or about fifteen hills, will give a good supply. 

The Watermelon. AYatermelons are cultivated the same as 
muskmelons, but are not grown in this section with equal success, 
as our seasons are not long enougli for them to attain to that 
perfection which they reach further south. But it will not take 
much room to tr}- a few hills ; so, if our watermelons are not suc- 
cessful, it need be no great loss to us. The Mountain Sweet, 
Vick's Early, and Phinney's Early Oval are good sorts. 

The Squash. The squash is one of our tender annuals, and 
until all danger from frost is passed it should not be planted, 
as, owing to the tender nature of the plant, the seed is liable 
to rot in damp, cool weather. Make the hills eight or nine feet 
apart, and thoroughly manure them. Place seven or eight seeds 
in each hill so as to have plenty for the bugs, but as soon as the 
plants are well up thin out to three plants in each hill. 

The bush varieties, such as Summer Crookneck and White 
Bush Scallop, can be planted nearer together, say six feet apart 
each way. Press the seeds down firmly before covering, and 
cover early planted ones an inch deep, and late ones two inches 
deep. Fine plaster is about as good an article as has 3'et been 
found for driving away the bugs. Plant Early Summer Crook- 
neck and White Bush Scallop for summer use, Boston Marrow 
for fall, and Hubbard, Essex Hybrid, and American Turban for 
winter. Be sure and gather the crop before it is nipped by frost, 
if you wish your squashes to keep well. A dozen hills of the 



10 

Slimmer kinds will be euough, but quite a quantity of the fall and 
winter sorts should be planted — say five or six rows. 

The Cabbage. As far as the cultivation of the cabbage is 
concerned, as pertaining to the kitchen garden, it is about as well 
to buy a few plants and set them out when the suitable time 
comes, as it is to try to raise them, unless one has some hot- 
beds or desires to raise the plants for the pleasure of so doing. 
For early use the seed should be sown in the hot-bed or a box in 
a snnnj' window about February loth, covering the seed about half 
an inch deep. The plants will be readj- to set in the garden 
about the 20th of April, before which time they should be trans- 
planted at least twice to make good stocky plants of them. Set 
the plants from two to three feet apart each way, according to 
the variety, and cultivate often. A good crop of winter cabbages 
can be raised by sowing the seed in the open ground from the 
10th to the 20th of June ; drop a few seeds in each hill, and when 
the plants are well up thin them out, leaving them about three 
feet apart. 

The Early Jersey Wakefield, and Henderson's Early Summer 
are good for early use, while Fottler's Brunswick and Stone 
Mason Drumhead are standards for fall and winter. Half a row 
of the early varieties will be found sufficient, and as to the late 
sorts, I usually plant quite a quantity, as there will be plent}' 
of room for them after the pea crop has been gathered and cleared 
away. 

The Cauliflower. Although the cauliflower is more adapted 
for growth by the experienced market gardener than it is b}' the 
amateur, j'et there is no reason why a corner of our garden 
cannot be devoted to this most excellent vegetable, and good 
cauliflowers grown. The plants are set out and cultivated the 
same as cabbages, and should be transplanted at least twice 
before they are set where they are to remain, so that they may 
become good and stocky, thereby having sufficient vitality to 
commence at once a good growth. You can raise your own 
plants by sowing some seed in a box in a window or in the hot- 
bed, or, at the proper season, plants can be purchased and set 
out. The Early Snowball and Dwarf Erfurt are both desirable 
sorts. Let us set at least a row, which will take say seventy-five 
plants. 

Celery. Celery is also a market gardener's crop, but is easily 



11 

grown ill the garden. The jdants should be raised the same as 
cabbage or cauliflower plants, and set out in rows in the open 
ground from tJie loth of June to the first of Jul}'. As the roots 
grow the earth is drawn up against the plants to bleach them, 
and this is continued at intervals until the crop is ready to gather. 
The Boston Market has been the popular varietj' for a great many 
years, and is so still ; the Early Ailington is a good variety, and 
grows somewhat larger, but I would like to call your attention 
particularlj' to some of the crimson celeries, which have this 
advantage : that in the spring, when the Boston Market celery, 
and, for that matter, all white celeries, have become soft and lost 
their aroma, the pink celeries are just as good as when gathered 
in the fall. The new Dwarf Kose is a very desirable variety. 
Grow some pink celery next season, and I know it will please 
you. 

One hundred plants will set one of our rows, as the plants 
should be about twelve inches apart. As celery usually follows 
some early crop, suppose we set two rows, as there will be plenty 
of room when it is time to plant this crop. 

Lettuce. Lettuce is a favorite with us all, and in its differ- 
ent varieties furnishes the best vegetable of the salad kind grown 
in the open garden. It requires to be cultivated in a moist soil 
to be crisp and tender, and needs to be grown in cool weather ; 
and it is for this reason that the best lettuce is raised early in the 
spring or summer, before the ground becomes diy and hot. The 
seeds should be planted in rows, and covered a quarter of an inch 
deep. When the plants are well up, they should be thinned to 
twelve inches apart; if plants are used, set them the same dis- 
tance apart. For New England, the Black Seeded Teuuisball, 
for solid heads, and the Boston Fine Curled, for a curled lettuce, 
are both desirable varieties. There are innumerable other varie- 
ties of lettuce, but the two mentioned are good sorts. Half a 
row of lettuce will be found sufficient for our needs. 

Pole, or Running Beans. Pole beans, as a class, are not 
very hard}', and cannot be planted until settled mild weather. 
From May 20 until .June 1 — perhaps a little earlier in some sec- 
tions — is about the right time. Pole beans are planted in bills, 
which should be at least four feet apart each way, and the plants 
in each hill should not be more than five, as it is necessary that 
these beans should have plenty of air and light to do their best. 



12 

The poles must be firmly set in the ground before the beans are 
planted, and the earth slightl}' raised about them ; the seed should 
be covered two inches deep. 

If the ends of the runners of some of the later sorts are pinched 
off when they have reached four or five feet in height, it will 
hasten their ripening. Limas and Sievas, being very tender, 
should not be planted before the ground is very warm and mellow 
— say about June 1. One quart of pole beans will jilaut about 
1.50 hills. The Large White Lima, Sieva or Small Lima, and 
Pole Horticultural, are tlie best shell beans, while the Black Wax 
Pole or Indian Chief is an excellent snap or string beau. It has 
been my custom to grow the pole varieties for shell beans, and 
to depend upon the bush sorts for snap beans, as the dwarf kinds 
are far superior to the pole varieties as far as string beans are 
concerned. One row of pole beans will be found sufficient for 
our wants, and suppose we divide this row between the Limas 
and Pole Horticultural. 

Bush, or Dwarf Beans. Bush beans are somewhat hardier 
than pole beans, but they should not be planted until the weather 
becomes settled. All beans do best iu warm, light soil, but will 
flourish in almost any soil or situation unless it be shaded or very 
wet. Plant in drills, from three to three and a half feet apart, 
and cover the same depth as for pole beans ; one quart of seed 
will plant about one hundred and twenty-five feet of row. 

The Early Yellow Six Weeks and Dwarf Horticultural are the 
best gi een-podded string or snap kinds ; and for yellow varieties 
the Golden, White, and Black Wax take the lead. We must 
arrange for a bountiful supply of string beans for our table, so 
let us plant two rows and divide them in some such way as 
this : Half a row of Early Yellow Six Weeks and half a row 
of Golden Wax, planted say May 20; then wait until June 10 
and plant another half-row of Golden Wax and half a row of 
Dwarf Horticultural, which last named variety, if not needed as a 
snap bean, can be allowed to ripen and become a most excellent 
shell bean ; in fact, one of the best. 

Peas. Peas are eaten bj- every one, and are so much liked that 
they are almost always placed first upon the list of vegetables 
to be planted in the family garden, and it is almost impossible to 
grow too many of them. To have a good succession of peas for 
the table from the 17th of June until the middle of JUI3' or the 



13 

first of August, or perhaps even later thau this, it is necessary 
to make several plantings and to use quite a number of varieties, — 
early, medium, and late. If the peas planted grow over two feet 
in height they must be bushed ; as, if they are not, they will fall 
over on one side or the other, and not only will the peas on the 
under side of the vines be apt to mildew, but the yield will not 
be so great as if they are properly staked up and the air and 
sunlight can have free access to them ; and the garden will not 
look neat and tidy if pea vines are indiscriminately left to drop 
into the spaces between the rows. 

For first early, the Dan O'Rourke and First and Best are as 
good as any. For second early, American Wonder, McLean's 
Advancer and Yorkshire Hero will be found excellent. For the 
general crop, the Champion of England, Carter's Stratagem, and 
Bliss's Ever-Bearing seem to take the lead. The Dan O'Rourke 
and First and Best are hard, smooth, white peas, and can be 
planted just as early in the spring as the ground can be made 
ready ; but with the green, wrinkled varieties, such as American 
Wonder, McLean's Advancer, Champion of England, etc., it is 
different, as these green, wrinkled kinds are more tender and 
must not be planted until the ground is warm and mellow. For 
this reason hard, smooth peas, so-called, can be obtained fit for 
the table somewhat earlier than the green, wrinkled varieties, 
because they can be planted earlier. It is better to plant more 
peas than one needs than it is to run short of this most excellent 
vegetable when the season is only partly gone. I have mentioned 
only a few varieties but they are all good ones, and will be sure 
to give the most perfect satisfaction. 

Suppose we plant in our garden six rows of peas, and do it in 
the following manner : As soon as the ground can be worked, 
sa3' from April 8 to 12, sow a row of Dan O'Rourke. These peas 
will be ready for the table June 17, and will last in a green condi- 
tion until June 25 or 26. A little later than the above were 
planted, say April 20, plant a row of First and Best, which can 
be picked from June 25 until July 1 or 2. American Wonder 
will then be ready, if planted about April 24 or 25, and so in 
order will come McLean's Advancer, Yorkshire Hero, and Cham- 
pion of England. A point comes to my mind here, which one is 
not apt to think of in arranging the dates for planting vegetables 
for succession, and that is that as the season advances and 



u 

becomes warmer, peas, and in fact all kinds of vegetables, grow 
faster and overtake one another, so to speak, and the dates of 
planting the different sorts become lost, and all the varieties 
seem to ripen together. For example, five days in the date of 
planting peas in April will make about five days difference in 
harvesting in June. But five days in the date of planting ]>eas in 
May, will not apparently make any difference in their ripening 
in July. Of course I refer to the same variety each time. 

Sweet Cohn. If there is one vegetable that everj'body grows, 
I think it is sweet corn. It is ready for the table at a time 
when the early summer vegetables are nearly gone, and those 
of autumn are not quite read^'. This is especially so with 
reference to sweet corn grown in the average kitchen garden, as 
corn grown in this manner is from two weeks to a month later 
than corn grown by a market gardener. If this crop is planted 
in hills, they should be made three feet apart ; but I prefer to 
plant in rows without making any hills, simply thinning the 
plants to about eight inches apart, therebj' getting a larger yield 
tlian if planted in hills. 

The Early Corey and Early Crosby are two good early varieties. 
Then come Potter's Excelsior, Moore's Early Concord, and 
Stowell's Evergreen. There are varieties later than Stowell's 
Evergreen, but it is not always possible to ripen them in this 
section. A good way to obtain a continuous suppl}- of this vege- 
table is to select some good variety and make plantings every two 
weeks, from the 20th of Maj' until the 1st of July, and by so doing 
a supplj' can be obtained covering a longer period than if several 
different varieties are planted at the same time ; for, as the 
season becomes advanced, it seems as if all the varieties became 
fit to use together. Be sure and plant enougji to have a bountiful 
supply throughout the season. At least eight rows should be 
devoted to sweet corn. 

The Tomato. Tomato plants should be set out in rows about 
June 1. Their cultivation is very simple. Set them six to eight 
feet apart, make the ground very rich, and keep them free from 
weeds ; this seems to be about all that is required. Just before 
frost take up the vines with all the earth that can be made to 
adhere to the roots, and place them in the cellar, and what toma- 
toes have not been picked (that are fully grown) will ripen. I 
have seen perfect ripe tomatoes, of most excellent quality, on the 



15 

table at Thauksgiviug, which were ripeued iu this way. The 
favoiite varieties are the Acme, Livingston's Perfection, Cardinal, 
Essex Hybrid, and Emery. There are so many good tomatoes 
that it is hard to make a selection ; but any one who plants any 
of the above kinds will be perfectly satisfied. We shall need to 
set out three or four dozen plants in order to have a good supply 
all summer ; and if these plants are set eight feet apart in the 
rows our tomatoes will take about two rows of our garden space. 

Other Vegetables. The above list includes most varieties 
usually cultivated in the kitchen garden, but there are several 
others which are equally good ; yet I will not speak of them at any 
great length, as I have already referred to the cultivation of 
several vegetables which are cultivated in the same manner as the 
following: Curled Cress or Peppergrass, Dandelion, Parsley, 
Spinach, Egg-plant, and Pumpkin ; the first four sorts are planted 
in rows, and, having been thinned out to the proper distances, 
are most easily grown, and a great addition to any garden. It 
is, perhaps, the best plan to purchase your pepper plants, as a 
dozen is about all that is needed. I think the squash pepper 
is the best varietj- to grow. A few hills of the small sugar pump- 
kin will give a good supply for the pumpkin pies. 

I have not forgotten the odd things, so to speak, such as Arti- 
chokes, Chervil, Endive, Leek, Brussels Sprouts, etc. ; but any one 
wishing to grow them will find plenty of publications describing 
their culture. 



Press f'/ Geo. S. Crosby d Co., 38^ iVashinsflon St., Boston. 







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